14 | January | 2016 | M'chelsMusings

Thursday, the 14th of January, 2016 is the 14th day in 2016 and in the 2nd calendar week.

General Events:

Mattu Pongal 2016
January 14, 2016 in India

Mattu Pongal is celebrated on January 14, 2016. Mattu Pongal is an Indian festival celebrated on the day following the Pongal festival or the Makar Sankranti festival. Though the name of the festival is specific to Tamil Nadu, in India, it is also celebrated in other southern states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Makar Sankranti is a festival that marks the start of northern declination of the Sun from the Zodiaca sign of Sagittarius to Capricorn, which according to Hindu calendar usually falls on 14 January. Mattu Pongal is for celebration of the cattle, particularly cows and bulls that play a vital role by working hard to help the farmers to raise crops on their fields, falls on the following day, 15 January. The festival is also observed by ethnic Tamil population of Sri Lanka.

Where is Mattu Pongal?
Nationwide India

Makar Sankranti
January 14, 2016 in Indida / Nepal

Makar Sankranti takes place on January 14, 2016. Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious occasions for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of India and Nepal in a myriad of cultural forms, with great devotion, fervour, and gaiety. It is a harvest festival.

Makar Sankranti is perhaps the only Indian festival whose date always falls on the same day every year: 14 January, with some exceptions, when the festival is celebrated on 13 January or 15 January. Makar Sankranti is also believed to mark the arrival of spring in India.

Makara Sankranti is one of the most auspicious days for the Hindus and is celebrated in almost all parts of India in myriad cultural forms, with great devotion. Millions of people take a dip in places like Ganga Sagar and Prayag and pray to the Sun God (Surya).

Where is Makar Sankranti?
Nationwide Indida / Nepal

Ratification Day (United States)
January 14, 2016 in the USA

Ratification Day in the United States is the anniversary of the ratification of the Treaty of Paris on January 14, 1784 at the Maryland State House in Annapolis, Maryland by the Confederation Congress. This act officially ended the American Revolutionary War.

The Journals of the Continental Congress reports that the Confederation Congress issued a proclamation on April 11, 1783, “Declaring the cessation of arms” against Great Britain. The preliminary articles of peace were approved by Congress on April 15, 1783, and the Treaty of Paris was ratified on January 14, 1784.

Where is Ratification Day?
Nationwide USA

International Kite Festival (Uttarayan)
January 14, 2016 in Gujarat

Every year, Gujarat celebrates more than 2,000 festivals. The International Kite Festival (Uttarayan) is regarded as one of the biggest festivals celebrated. Months before the festival, homes in Gujarat begin to manufacture kites for the festival.

The International Kite Festival takes place in Gujarat India. The festival is called Uttarayan. The festival is celebrated in many cities of Gujarat and Rajasthan like Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Nadiad. However, the International Kite Event takes place in Ahmedabad (Kite capital of Gujarat) which accommodates visitors from many international destinations.

The festival takes place on 14 January of each year during the Makar Sankranti and continues until 15 January. This date marks the end of winter and the return of a more clement weather for farmers of the Gujarat region. These days have also become a public holiday within the Gujarat state of India so that everyone can take part in the celebration.

The festival of Uttarayan marks the day when winter begins to turn into summer, according to the Indian calendar. It is the sign for farmers that the sun is back and that harvest season is approaching which is called Makara Sankranti. This day is considered to be one of the most important harvest day in India. Many cities in Gujarat organize kite competition between their citizens where the people all compete with each other. In this region of Gujarat and many other states,

In 2012, the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat mentioned that the International Kite Festival in Gujarat was attempting to enter the Guinness World Records book due to the participation of 42 countries in it that year.

Where is International Kite Festival (Uttarayan)?
Nationwide Gujarat

The National Dress Up Your Pet Day
January 14, 2016 in the USA

The National Dress Up Your Pet Day takes place on January 14, 2016. It was founded to celebrate pets and to support the pet fashion community as a fun way. Dress Up Your Pet Day is a good opportunity to dress up your pet with sweaters, booties and fashion accessories.

A pet is a household animal kept for a person’s enjoyment. The most popular pets are noted for their attractive appearances and their loyal or playful personalities. Their pedigree may also be a factor. The most popular pets are dogs and cats, but there are also rodent pets, such as gerbils, hamsters, chinchillas, fancy rats, and guinea pigs.

Where is the event?
Nationwide USA

Historical Events on 14th January:

1129 – Formal approval of the Order of Templars at the Council of Troyes.

1514 – Pope Leo X issues a papal bull against slavery

1539 – Spain annexes Cuba

1641 – United East Indian Company conquerors city of Malacca, 7,000 killed

1690 – Clarinet invented, in Nurnberg, Germany

1699 – Massachusetts holds day of fasting for wrongly persecuting “witches”

1784 – US Revolutionary War ends; US Congress of the Confederation ratifies the Treaty of Paris

1814 – King of Denmark cedes Norway to King of Sweden by treaty of Kiel

1907 – An earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica, kills more than 1,000

1914 – Henry Ford introduces an assembly line for Model T

1914 – The Gandhi-Smuts Agreement is reached between Gen. J.C. Smuts and Mahatma Gandhi, regarding voluntary registration, poll tax, recognition of Indian marriages and other matters

1939 – Norway claims Queen Maud Land in Antarctica

1953 – Yugoslavia elects its 1st president (Marshal Tito)

1963 – George C Wallace sworn in as governor of Alabama, his address states “segregation now; segregation tomorrow; segregation forever!”

1966 – David Bowie releases his 1st record (Can’t Help Thinking About Me)

1976 – “The Bionic Woman” with Lindsay Wagner debuts on ABC (later NBC)

1986 – Constitution of Guatemala takes effect

1990 – “Simpsons” premiered on Fox-TV

1998 – Researchers in Dallas, Texas present findings about an enzyme that slows aging and cell death (apoptosis)

2000 – A United Nations tribunal sentences five Bosnian Croats to up to 25 years for the 1993 killing of over 100 Muslims in a Bosnian village

2004 – The national flag of Georgia, the so-called “five cross flag”, was restored to official use after a hiatus of some 500 years

2005 – Landing of the Huygens probe on Saturn’s moon Titan